Automatic train-pipe connecter



March 17,1931. J. v. ROBINSON I AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed March 11,

1920 3 Sheets-Sheet l HUM March 17, 1931 J. v. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Original Filed March 11. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g van 01; W W luv/1J6 a March 17, 1931. J v, ROBINSON 1,797,172

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Origina l Filed March 11, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITEnYsrA Tns v Josnri-rv. nonmsolv, *orinnw roux-Qua AUTOMATIC TRAIN-f rs mums r Application filed March 11, 1920, Serial Na 64,920, Renewed April 273-1929,? 3

invention relates to automatic train pipe connecters for steam and electrically operated carsand has among its objectsfito provide a simple and efiicientsupport for the coupling heads of such connecters which will he /simple and; economical of manufacture, powerful in construction, and highly effic ent in operation offering the minimum resistance to universal movement of the coupling, head. vAn important feature of flexible, supports for automatic train pipe couplings is that theyshall offer the least resistance to, unlversal movement of the coupling head, thus vminimizingtheforceswhich tend to separate coupled heads in service. The attainment of'this' end has been sought by; various means with, varying degrees of success. -Where goodfiexibility resultedfrom such efforts it has invariably been obtained at the expense of simplicity and economical manufacture. Inf my improvement I not only attain the maximu m of fieXibilit-yrwith theminimum of resistance, but I obtain it from a powerful construction of extreme simplicity and ,low manufacturing costs. u i i My improvement-consists of the combinations, arrangements, and constructions hereafter described, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustratedin the accompanying drz-nvings, in which I V a ,4

v Figure l is a side elevation of my improved support.v v

igure 2 is a' longitudinal sectional plan view thereof; v I M Figure 3 isa rear elevation of my improvement. 7, Y i i Figure 4 i the line 44 of Figure 1.

Iiigure'? is a detailsectional iew-through is a sectional elevation taken. on

the forward wall 29 of the eyebolt G fl jy improvement. I I I Referring-"now to the drawings'zfMy improved support compr ses a! hollow body or ,yoke A,formedof apair or spacedstraps or members 7 which lie in a substantially horizontal plane and which terminate at their rear-end in ar verticiallycextending flange or projection I 8; integrally formed with the members 7,.which members at their forward end terminate in-, and are integrally'formed "With,$ a latterly diverging fluid "conduit ..9 which is threaded as atjlO to receive, any suitable form of {coupling head B; The coucpling head isperforatedas shown,;and car u ries at theforw'ard end of such perforation a suitable gasket 11 having 7 communication with thexcond uit 9 'andadaptedto abut with a corresponding gasketin. the head of an opposing connector; 'Suitable means. 12 are provided on the, head B for effecting accurate alignment of the gasketll ofopposing heads when making coupling thereof under Conditions-of: vertical or; lateral -disal-ign- ,ment.: 1 i

Onithemnder side'ofthe carcoupler C @l provide a suitable lug Dico'nnected in ,anydesired mannerwith'the coupler C or formed integrally therewithd Spanningthis v "lug and suitably connected thereto as abolts 13, Iv-provideaibracket orbase which ter-- minates" at its upper end pair 1 of, spaced ears '14 adapted ,to-,embrace,,the lug D as aforesaid the bracket zorabase being split as at- 15 to facilitateefiicient clamping ,,o f,the ears to fthelug B through th-emedium of-the bolts #18 RTheklowerfend lofithe bracket E terminates .in. what may be, described ,as a

T shaped ;verticallyleirtending portion F, the

centraIQpart 1.6 of which. projects into the hollow of the body/A between the aforesaid straps or members 7 and-sin frontof the flange 8. new intermediate point. the part 16, of therabracket sis, circular; in, cross section was shown inQFigureLZ, thus forminga circular 19 of which shoulders preferably lie in the horizontal plane. Below said neck the side walls of the part 16 diverge downwardly and join with the corners or shoulders 20 of a flat abutment or lip 21 having substantially straight vertical edges 22, which abutment lies in front of the flange 8 and is formed integrally with the portion Y16 and constitutes the lower extremity of the bracket or base E. The abutment 21 is considerably wider transversely than the thickness of the portion 16, the shoulders 20 and the edges 22 of the abutment being rounded in crosssection to facilitate the operation of the parts of my improved support, as shown particularly in Figures ll and 6.

Embracing the portion 16, and extending rearwardly thereof on the longitudinal axis of my improved support, through an'elongated opening 23in flange 8, I provide an eye bolt or pivot device G having at its forward end an elongated head 24 provided with an elongated opening 25. as shown especially in Figure 2. At its rear end the eye bolt G is provided with a threaded portion 26 adapted to threadingly receive an abutment or nut H which is adjustable along the portion 26 and is provided with an'a'nnu'lar seat 27, and

an annular flange 28 adapted to receive a spring. The forward wall29 of the eye bolt head 24 is round in cross section as shown in Figure 7 and to withstand the wear of service is preferably of greater thickness at this point than atv other portionsthereof. Upon the rear face of the flange 8 I provide an annular seat 30, and upon this seat I mount the forward end of a helical buffer spring I, which surrounds the eye bolt G' and has its rear endseated upon the seat 27 and against the flange 28' of the nut H. The purpose of this spring is to yieldingly support the couplinghead l3 "and maintain it at the limit of its forward movement with the flange 8 normally pressing againsttherear side of the, portion and the abutment or lip 21, of the bracket or base The compression of the spring I, necessary to accomplish this, is'secured by adjusting the nut H along the threaded portion 26 of the eye bolt G, by which operation the compression of the spring may be varied at will.

To attain uniformity of forces required to move the coupling head B in the vertical plane I construct that portion of the flange S Which lies above the longitudinal center line of my improvement, of greater length than that portion thereof which lies below such center line. In this manner the. force required to move the coupling head downwardly from the normal uncoupled position is equalized with that required to move the head upwardly from such position, thus eliminating jamming and coupling failures of the or members 7 with the edges 22 of the abut ment or lip 21, and with the edges 19 of the overhanging portions or shoulders 18 of the bracket or base E, which arrangement of parts produces an efiicient guide for the body member A with respect to the base E, the eye bolt G cooperating with the shoulders 20 of the abutment 21 to prevent dislodgement of the body A .from its operative relation to the bracket E. It will be observed that the flange 8 of the body member A is wider at its top than at the bottom thereof, the top of the flange approximating in width the width of the bracket at the point where the flange contacts therewith, while the lower part 31 of the flange narrowstosubstantially the width of the abutment or lip 21. The flange thus is substantially the same shape 'asthe lower part of the'bracket. Through'the conduit 9 of the body member A I suitably connect, as by a union 82 and 33, any desired form of train pipe hose 3% for conveying the fluid from the train pipe of the car to the gasket 11 in the coupling head carried by my improved sup- )ort. I 1 Vhile I preferablyconstruct my improved support so thatthe portion 16 thereoflies on the longitudinal. centerline of the hollow 'body A, 1t may, if desired, be otherwise constructed, and -of other conformation than that described and illustrated. The portion 16 is assembled and positioned with respect to the flange 8 and the eye bolt G by passing the eye bolt into the hollow of the body A through the opening 23 in the flange 8 whereupon the bracket E is turned to an angle of 7 90 degrees from that shown in Figures 1 and 4, and is then let down into the hollow of the body A, the abutment21 passing through 1 the elongated opening 25 in the head 24 of the eye bolt G. The bracket is then turned to the normal position and the spring I and the nut' 'H applied. This construction and a1- rangement of parts produces a simple and highly elflcient supporthaving a universal joint, or flexing means, of the character described for permitting universal movement of the coupling headB the mating surfaces of the members of which universal joint flare L' in opposite directions and in difl'erent planes as shown especially in Figures 2 and 7.

What I claim as new is 1; In an automatic train pipe coupling.

the combination of a hollow body connected .3

at one end with a coupling head and having 1 at its other end a vertically disposed perforated flange, a bracket provided at its lower end with a vertically disposed portion which lies within said hollow body and which ex- Excessive rotation of the coupling igametendsdownwardly and. is contracted inward- 1y to form a cylindrical seat and, thence diverges outwardly to form an abutment for said flange and for the inner face of the walls r I I V fabove said; straight 'sidesberng contracted to 1 form a substantially circular "neck; a t1e rod of said hollowbody whereby eXcessiXe for ward movement of said bodyand undue rotation thereof about its longitudinal axis are prevented, a pivot device extending through the perforation in said flange and having an inner wall with diverging sides pivotally mounted upon said cylindrical seat, a spring surrounding said pivot device and bearing upon the rear side of said flange, and an abutment for said spring adjustably mounted upon the rear end of said pivot device.

I 2, In an automatic train pipe connecter, a coupling head, a yoke secured thereto and extending rearwardly thereof, said yoke having two spaced members having vertically arranged straight inner surfaces,a bracket extending downwardly between said members,

said bracket having a portion adjacent its lower end provided with vertically arranged straight edges adapted to cooperate with the straight inner surfaces of said members to prevent undue rotation of said yoke about its longitudinal ax1s, said yoke having on its 'rearend a projection adapted to engage the rear side of the bracket,.said bracket having a vertically arranged portion integral therewith adapted to form a bearing for a tie rod, a tiered engaging said portion of the bracket and extending rearwardly thereof, and a spring surrounding said rod and engaging said projection.

3. In an automatic train pipe connector, a coupling head, a yoke secured thereto and extending rearwardly thereof, said yoke having two spaced members having vertically arranged straight inner surfaces, a bracket extending downwardly between said members,'said bracket having a portion adjacent its lower end provided with vertically arranged substantially straight edges adapted to cooperatewith the straight inner surfaces of said members to prevent undue rotation of said yoke about its longitudinal axis, said yoke having on its rear end a projection adapted to engage the rearside of SElld bracket, said bracket having a contracted portion above saidstraightedges forming a neck thereon, a-tie rod vpivotally engaging said neck and extending rearwardly thereof and a spring surrounding said rod and engaging said projection.

4. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a coupling head, a yoke secured thereto and extending rearwardly thereof, said yoke having two spaced members having vertically arranged straight inner surfaces, a bracket extending downwardly between said members, said bracket having a portionadjacent its lower end provided with vertically arranged straight edges adapted to cooperate with the straight inner surfaces of said members surrdunding said-j ne'cl'i an-d ieiitending rearwardly of the bracket through said pro ec- -'tion, aiid'a' spring surroundingsaid rod and enga ingsaidcprojection. H r ilir an' autonratic tr'ain pipe connecter, a coupling head, a yoke secured thereto and extending rearwardly thereof, said yoke having two spaced members having vertically arranged straight inner surfaces, a bracket extending downwardly between said members, said bracket having a portion adjacent."

its lower end provided with vertically arranged substantially straight edges adapted to cooperate withthe straight inner surfacesi of said members to prevent undue rotation of said yoke about its longitudinal axis, said yoke having on its rear end a projection adapted to engage the rear side of said bracket, said bracket also having an integral por tionarranged betweensaid spaced members and'provided with a seat on lts front face,

a tie rod pivotally engaging said seat and extending rearwardly thereof anda spring carried by said tie rod and engagingisaid projection,

6. In an automatic train pipe connector, a

coupling head, a yoke secured thereto and extending rearwardly thereof, said yoke having two spaced members having vertically arranged inner surfaces, a bracket extending downwardly between said members, said brackethaving a portion adjacent its lower end provided with vertically arranged edges adapted to cooperate with the inner surfaces of said members to prevent undue rotation of said yoke about its longitudinal axis, said yoke having on its rear end a projection adapted to engage the rear side of said bracket, said bracketalso having an integral p0"- tionarranged between said spaced members and provided with a curved seat, a tie rod pivotally engaging said seat and extending rearwardly thereof and a spring carried by said tie rod and engaging said projection.

7. In an automatic train pipe connector,

a coupling head, a yoke secured thereto and. extending rearwardly thereof, said yoke having two spaced members having vertically ar ranged inner surfaces, a bracket extending downwardly between said members, said bracket having a portion at its lower end provided with vertically arranged edges adapt.- ed to cooperate with said inner surfaces of said spaced members to prevent undue rotation of said yoke about its longitudinal axis, said bracket above said yoke being provided with portions which overhang the upper edges of said spaced members, said yoke also having on its rear end a portion adapted to :engagethe rear side of said bracket, the portion of said bracket between said spaced members being-provided with a contracted neck above said vertically arranged edges thereon, a tie rod pivot-ally vengaging said neck and extending rearwardly of the brack-' et and a spring carried by said tierod and engaging said portion. U

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix my 10 signature.

JOSEPH V. ROBINSON. 

